Salisbury-Rowan PFLAG to offer scholarships
SALISBURY — Salisbury-Rowan Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) has announced it will be offering five $1,000 scholarships to Rowan County gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students and their straight allies for academic year 2013-2014.
PFLAG is the nation’s foremost family-based organization committed to the civil and social rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons. Founded in 1973 by mothers and fathers of gay and lesbian children, PFLAG has 220,000 members in more than 500 chapters throughout the United States, including 18 North Carolina chapters.
The local Salisbury/ Rowan PFLAG chapter was founded in January 2006 and was the first organization in North Carolina to award scholarships specifically to GLBT persons and their straight allies.
In the five years since its inception in 2007, the Salisbury-Rowan PFLAG Scholarship Foundation has awarded a dozen $1,000 scholarships to area students.
Salisbury-Rowan PFLAG will once again be selecting a winner of the Anne Stanback-Charlotte Kinlock Scholarship, named for Salisbury native Anne Stanback and her wife Charlotte Kinlock; the Founder’s Equality Scholarship, named in honor of Michael Clawson, founder of the Salisbury/ Rowan PFLAG chapter; the Linda Ketner Community Service Scholarship, named for Salisbury native Linda Ketner; and the Bob Page-Dale Frederiksen Business Scholarship, named in honor of Bob Page, the founder and CEO of Replacements, Ltd in Greensboro and his life partner, Dale Frederiksen.
“This year, we are pleased to announce that Salisbury Pride has created a named scholarship to honor Scotty Ray Gilbert, Salisbury Pride’s entertainment director who passed away unexpectedly last year,”, Clawson, president of the local chapter. “The scholarship, which will be named the Salisbury Pride-Scotty Ray Gilbert Scholarship, will be awarded specifically to a student who exemplifies characteristics of having overcome adversity as a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or straight alley student in Rowan County.
“Salisbury Pride and Salisbury-Rowan PFLAG are excited to honor Scotty Ray in this special way.”.
The five scholarships are offered to all Rowan County public, private and home-schooled seniors as well as Rowan County Early College students.
“Through the wonderful success of its annual scholarship fundraiser, The Autumn Soirée, and with the generosity of some committed benefactors and supporters, Salisbury-Rowan PFLAG is pleased to be able to offer these five scholarships”, said Liz Boltz, chairwoman of the scholarships advisory committee. “Our scholarships are unique in that students do not have to be attending a traditional four year college to apply.
“We encourage anyone planning to attend a community college or trade school, including cosmetology or culinary school for example, to apply for one of our scholarships”.
Scholarship applications are available at all seven local high schools guidance offices or their respective websites or for download from the Salisbury-Rowan PFLAG website at www.salisbury-pflag.org.
The deadline to submit applications is March 14 and all candidates will be notified of the outcome by April 14.
Contact the scholarships administrator, Liz Boltz, at 704-279-7171 or marinoltz@aol.com, with questions.

Partners In Learning offering free classes on challenging behaviors
SALISBURY — Partners In Leaning Child Development and Family Resource Center will offer parents classes focusing on how to handle challenging behaviors.
“Children don’t come with a manual and each has different needs,” said Executive Director Norma Honeycutt. “This series of classes will offer parents insight on how to handle many challenging behaviors.”
Participants will explore research-based techniques and strategies that are proven to be effective in turning challenging behaviors into healthy behaviors.
Situated on the Catawba College campus, Partners In Learning is the only five-star licensed center in Rowan County. The center serves as the Model Inclusive Center providing care to more than 200 children six weeks through five years of age in Rowan County.
The organization serves children on-site and throughout the community, as well as in the children’s homes.
The classes will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursdays evenings Jan. 24 through Feb. 28. Classes are free and include snacks and child care.
For more information and to RSVP, call 704-638-9020. For more information about the center. visit epartnersinlearning.org.

Salisbury Academy session on early learning
SALISBURY — Salisbury Academy faculty and staff invite families of rising junior kindergarten, kindergarten and first-grade students to learn more about the school.
“Deciding where to send your child to school when they are four to six years old can seem overwhelming. We want families to feel better prepared and well informed,” said Head of School Diane Fisher
The event will be held 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Carter Kindergarten Building, 1801 Bellevue Road.
Parents will have the opportunity to meet teachers, tour the facility, and learn more about the curriculum and programs at Salisbury Academy.
“Younger students thrive in an environment where there is lots of love and care from their teachers along with a balance of developmentally appropriate curriculum and activities for early learners,” said Admissions Director Beverly Fowler. “The building blocks that are established in the young grades set the foundation for the love for lifelong learning.”
For more information contact Jill Wagoner at jwagoner@salisburyacademy.org or 704.636.3002, extension 120.

Salisbury Academy hosting summer camp fair
SALISBURY — The temperature outside has been cold, but summer camps are already gearing up for the warm months ahead and Salisbury Academy is inviting the public to learn more about what’s in store.
Salisbury Academy will hold a summer camp fair noon to 6 p.m. next Thursday in the school’s gymnasium. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet camp representatives, get more information on programs and sign up for summer camps.
Day camp representatives from Catawba College, Piedmont Players, Partners in Learning, Waterworks Visual Arts Center, Highland Hills Stable and Salisbury Academy will be present. Representatives from week-long camps including Camp Arrowhead, Camp Hollymont, and Camp Rockmont will also participate.
Salisbury Academy will again offer camps this summer for pre-kindergarten through ninth-grade students.
Some of the sessions include Mind Your Manners camp, Spanish immersion, Spanish cooking, Pinterest, splash camp, adventure camp, introduction to German language and culture, American Girl doll history, ultimate sports, reading camp, mad scientist camp, pre-algebra/algebra boot camp and more. A complete list will be available at the event. Children do not have to be Salisbury Academy students to attend.
The camp fair is free and open to the public. Salisbury Academy is located at 2210 Jake Alexander Blvd., N. For more information, call 704-636-3002.